Trump signs executive order on Smithsonian Institution

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at reforming the Smithsonian Institution and other federal historical sites, which the White House contends have been influenced by "divisive ideology" and "revisionist" historical narratives. The order, titled "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History," directs federal officials to "correct" issues identified in a White House report.

The executive order specifically targets the Smithsonian Institution, stating that it has come under the influence of a "divisive, race-centered ideology" that portrays American and Western values as harmful. Examples cited include exhibits at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which the administration claims promote narratives inconsistent with American ideals.

Under the order, the Vice President, in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Lindsey Halligan, Esq., is tasked with working through their role on the Smithsonian Board of Regents to eliminate "improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology" from the institution's museums, research centers, and the National Zoo. The administration also plans to work with Congress to prohibit future Smithsonian funding for exhibits or programs that degrade shared American values or divide Americans by race.

Furthermore, the order directs the Secretary of the Interior to restore federal parks, monuments, memorials, statues, and markers that have been improperly removed or changed in the last five years. The Secretary is also instructed to complete restorations and improvements to Independence Hall by July 4, 2026, in preparation for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The White House stated that the prior administration had advanced a "corrosive ideology" that reconstructed America's legacy of liberty as inherently flawed. The order seeks to reestablish truth in the historical narrative and ensure federal sites serve as "solemn and uplifting public monuments" that remind Americans of their heritage and progress.